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My involvement in the two minute silence

By Nana Ameyaw, Level 3 Journalism and PR Student, on 10 November 2017

Today was my first experience of a Remembrance Day two minute silence.

It was really thoughtful and impressive to see my peers pay their respects.

Seeing students and staff with the poppy flower on their chests come together in the Courtyard was incredible. At the front our Public Services students saluted and marked in remembrance the lives that were lost during the war. I thought to myself this was really impressive and peaceful.

Beginning the process three students read a few words to the waiting crowd. One was read in Russian and the rest was English.

After the silence I spoke to the students and managed to get copies of the two English messages they read.

One said: “They shall not grow old, as we are left to grow old. Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.”

The other said: “At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them all.”

After this message was read we stood in silence for two minutes and I could see everyone was committed to this.

It was helpful for us to reflect on the loss and grief we felt within and also the joy that death has not been in vein.

Before we went our separate ways the last message was read and this is what it said:

“When you go home tell them, and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today.”

I personally found this - and still find this - very emotional. After participating in this event I went to the library to research more. Here is one thing I read:

‘During the First World War, red poppies were among the first plants to spring up in the devastated battlefields of northern France and Belgium. In soldiers' folklore, the vivid red of the poppy came from the blood of their comrades soaking the ground.’

Thank you Northampton College for organising this important event. I will never forget it.